Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that changes to Winter Fuel Payments do not disproportionately affect pensioners in colder regions of the UK; and how regional variations in winter heating costs were considered in the decision to make those changes.

This Government is committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement.

Given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control.

Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged over 80.

In England and Wales, Cold Weather Payments continue to be paid to pensioners in receipt of Pension Credit (and certain working age qualifying benefits). This is a weekly payment of £25 for every seven-day period when the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0 degrees C or below over seven consecutive days.

Our continued commitment to the triple lock means the full new state pension is forecast to increase by a further £1,700 over the course of the parliament.

We are also providing support through our Warm Homes Plan which pensioners will benefit from. This will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals.

In making a decision on Winter Fuel Payment eligibility, the government had regard to the equality analysis in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty requirements.